Ever wanted to tour the world without leaving the UK? Well, now is your chance. We’ve come up with a memorable UK road trip for staycationers to embark on this summer that is a little bit different to your average city break.

These local hotspots share their name with identical global tourist destinations from around the globe. Many of which have a rich history, beautiful views and scenic walks that can give you the excitement of globetrotting right on your doorstep.



Here is our top 15 UK destinations with international place names to visit on your road trip:

Moscow, Ayrshire
Ayr County Council suggested this hamlet in Scotland got its name during the Crimean War when there were a number of prisoners and refugees living there.

Barcelona, Cornwall
Vastly different from the cosmopolitan city in Spain, Barcelona was supposedly named after a Spanish native who rescued a member of the Trelawney family from a shipwreck disaster in the 1800s.

Egypt, Bradford 

This hamlet in West Yorkshire housed a successful quarrying industry during the 1800’s. It is thought the name may be a commemoration of the 18th Century invasion of Egypt by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Boston, Lincolnshire

Home to the largest parish church in England, this market town in Lincolnshire was given its name originally by the Bostonians. They named settlements across the world with the same name, most notably, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Holland, Surrey
Thought to be named after the 1st Duke of Surrey, Thomas Holland, in the late 14th Century – no relation to The Netherlands unfortunately. There is also a Holland Park, Surrey in Canada. 

Rhodes, Greater Manchester
Just over 2,500 miles away from the sunny Greek island, Rhodes is a suburb of the town of Middleton. It was known in the 1800s for its calico printing practices.

Hollywood, Birmingham
Not quite the glitz and glamour of its American counterpart, Hollywood in Birmingham was given its literal name as the woods that once surrounded the village were teaming with holly.

Melbourne, Derbyshire
The name Melbourne means ‘Mil Stream’ according to the Doomsday book. Unfortunately, there is no connection between this market town and the Australian city.

Toronto, County Durham
After a coal baron visited the Canadian city of Toronto he discovered there was coal underneath his land in Durham too, so decided to name the area Toronto too. 

Florence, Staffordshire

Florence is a quaint suburb in Stoke-on-Trent which was named after a colliery owned by Florence Colliery Co. LTD. There is very little resemblance to Tuscany’s most populous city but still well worth the visit.

Gibraltar, Buckinghamshire
Named after the British overseas territory that borders Spain. Gibraltar locations can also be found in the neighbouring counties of Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Palestine, Hampshire
The name origin of this village in Hampshire remains a mystery to this day. Some think it could be linked to the Egypt Expeditionary Force – which included two battalions from Hampshire– that seized the south of Palestine in 1917-18.

California, Norfolk
A seaside resort that gets its name from a handful of 16th Century gold coins that were found on its beach in 1848 – this was during the California gold rush, hence the name. 

Bermuda, Warwickshire 

Named after a local landowner, Edward Newdegate, who was once the Governor of Bermuda. This suburb of Nuneaton is roughly thirty miles outside of Birmingham.

Columbia, Tyne and Wear
Located in the town of Washington – which was home to US president George Washington’s ancestors – is just one of the areas in the North of England with a transatlantic cousin. Others include New York in Tyneside, Richmond in North Yorkshire and Cleveland in County Durham.